Belt conveyors are an effective solution for transporting particulate or granular material at an incline. Proper belt tension must be maintained to efficiently drive an endless conveyor belt. Tensioning refers to the proper stretching of the endless belt between the two end rollers. Jackscrew tensioning is the most common method of tensioning a conveyor belt. By turning a screw at the end of the conveyor, a bearing block moves outwardly which creates tension on the belt. Once tensioned, the belt must be tracked using a separate adjustment that is dependent on the tensioning.
When a belt is improperly tensioned, then the belt does not track well. This results in a decreased belt lifespan. Also, when a belt is improperly tensioned, the power transfer from the driven roller is compromised.